The present indefinite tense, also known as simple present tense, denotes a stative or habitual or eternally true action.
Generally, simple present tense is used to indicate an action which happens – always, regularly, every day, daily, normally, generally, usually, occasionally, sometimes, often, rarely, frequently, nowadays, naturally, seldom, constantly, never, every week, every year, once a year, on a week, at times, at present, now and then, or all the time.
Structure:
| Subject (third person singular number) + verb in simple present form + s/es + . . . . . |
| Subject (all other kinds) + verb in simple present form + . . . . . |
Note: When ‘be’ verbs work as the main verb in a sentence, they are different from the above structures.
| Person/Number | Singular | Plural |
| First | I am a good cricket player. | We are good cricket players. |
| Second | You are an irresponsible person. | You all are always irresponsible. |
| Third | The earth is smaller than Jupiter. | Junk food is not good for health. |
There are some stative verbs that are usually used in simple tenses whether present or past or future.
The stative verbs are:
| HaveUnderstandKnowBelieve | HateNeedHearLove | AppearSeeLikeSeem | SmellWantTasteWish | SoundOwn |
Examples:
- I know Billy Bob.
- He understands it.
- They love swinging in the park.
- Some people do not believe in God.
- I usually wake up at 6:00 AM.
- He plays cricket, but his brother plays football.
- Earth is bigger than Mercury.
- The heat of the sun reaches the least to the polar.
How the Forms of Verbs Change in Different Types of Sentences
| Affirmative | Interrogative | Negative |
| I sing on stage. | Do I sing on stage? | I don’t sing on stage. |
| We run behind the train. | Do we run behind the train? | We don’t run behind the train. |
| You are on the roof. | Are you on the roof? | You aren’t on the roof. |
| Allan writes well. | Does Allan write well? | Allan does not write well. |
| She hands out leaflets. | Does she hand out leaflets? | She doesn’t hand out leaflets. |
| They love dancing in the rain. | Do they love dancing in the rain? | They don’t love dancing in the rain. |
More Examples of Present Indefinite Tense:
- I write articles on different topics.
- He reads various kinds of books.
- They love to play football.
- She prefers coffee to tea.
- He goes to the library every day.
- We come for shopping in this market.
- We watch movies in this Cineplex.
- You always shop in that market.
- I sing different kinds of songs, especially modern.
- I love to listen to melodious songs.
- He loves to travel around the world.
- They always play cricket in that field.
- The poet writes romantic poems.
- The lyricist writes realistic songs.
- Do you love to listen to realistic songs?
- I do not like to quarrel.
- I am a peace-loving person.
- I know how to protest against injustice.
- Do you like to watch cricket?
- I love my parents and my elder brother.